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OSCHOPHO´RIA

OSCHOPHO´RIA (ὀσχοφόρια or ὠσχοφόρια), an Attic
festival, which as a vintage festival paid honour to Dionysus and Athena,
the givers of wine and oil, and at the same time honoured the memory of
Theseus, and according to some of Ariadne also (Plut. Thes. 23). The time of its celebration was the 7th and 8th
of the Attic month Pyanepsion (Plut. Thes.
22). It is said to have been instituted by Theseus. Its name is
derived from ὦσχος, ὄσχος, or ὄσχη, a branch of vines with grapes, for it was
a vintage festival; and on the day of its celebration two youths, called
ὀσχοφόροι, whose parents were alive,
and who were elected from among the noblest and wealthiest citizens (Schol.
ad Nicand. Alexiph. 109),
carried, in the disguise of women, branches of vines with fresh grapes from
the temple of Dionysus in Athens, to the ancient temple of Athena Sciras in
Phalerus. These youths were followed by a procession of persons who likewise
carried vine-branches, and a chorus sang hymns called ὠσχοφορικὰμέλη, which were accompanied by dances (Athen. 14.681). In the sacrifice
which was offered on this occasion, women also took part; they were called
δειπνοφόροι, for they represented the
mothers of the youths, carried the provisions (ὄφακαὶσιτία) for them, and related stories to them. During the
sacrifice the staff of the herald was adorned with garlands, and when the
libation was performed the spectators cried out ἐλελεῦ, ἰοὺἰού (Plut. Thes.
22). The ephebi taken from all the tribes had on this day a
contest in racing from the city to the temple of Athena Sciras, during which
they also carried the ὄσχη, and the victor
received a cup filled with five different things. (πεντάπλοος, πενταπλόα, or πενταπλῆ), viz. wine, honey, cheese, flour, and a little oil
(Athen. 11.495). According
to other accounts, the victor only drank from this cup. The story which was
symbolically represented in the rites and ceremonies of this festival, and
which was said to have given rise to it, is related by Plutarch (Plut. Thes. 22, 23) and by Proclus (p. 388, ed. Gaisford). (Compare Bekker's
Anecdot. p. 318; Etymol. Magn. and Hesych. sub voceὮσχοι; Suidas, s. v. Ὠσχοφόρια and ὠσχοφόρος; Preller, Griech. Myth. 1.165;
Bötticher, Baumcultus, p. 399; A. Mommsen,
Heortol. p. 271.)